Electrical connecting plug



Oct. 16, 1934. A. E. GRANT ET AL ELECTRICAL CONNECTING PLUG Filed Oct. 29'. 1932 ?atented Get. 15, 19 314 1,976,779 ELECTRICAL CONNECTING PLUG AlbertE. Grant and Abraham L. Euschman, New York, N. Y., assignors to New York Merchandise Co. Inc, New York, N. 'Y., a corporation of New York Application ()ctOber 29, 1932, Serial No. 640,164 14 Claims; '(oi. 173-332) This invention relates to electrical devices, and is particularly directed too, quickly detachable fitting for connection to the plug blades of an electric iron, toaster, or the like electrical translating device.

An object of this invention is to provide a fitting of the character described so constructed and arranged as to effectively reduce the heating of. various parts of the socket whereby the litting is made more desirable and furthermore may be used with electrical devices having heating units without the danger of injury or discomfort to the user in connecting or disconnecting the socket from said electrical device.

A further object of this invention is to provide a fitting of the character described, made of two quickly detachable parts, one of which may be permanently connected to the electric cable and the other of which may remain detachably ati ta hed to the electrical device to be supplied with current, so that when it is desired to disconnect the electric cord from said electrical device, the two parts of my improved fitting may be separated; the construction being such furthermore,

- that an eifective circulation of air is permitted between the two parts oithe fitting for insulating the current carrying portions of thesocket.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a fitting of the character described, highly improved switch means which may be easily and simply incorporated therein as a unit.

Still another object of this invention is to pro-.

vide a two part compact, neat and rugged fitting of the character described, which shall be comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to assemble, simple to manipulate, comfortable in use, positive in operation, and yet practical and efici nt to a high degree.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the featuresof construction, combinations of elements,

and arrangement of parts which will be exemplifled in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claims. r

In the accompanying drawing, in which is shown one of the various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

- Fig. 1 is an elevational, sectional View of a fit-- ting embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig'. 3 is a reduced, side elevational view of said fitting;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line li of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a crosasectional view taken on line 6-6 of 1; and

.Fig. '7 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 1.

Re erring now in detail to the drawing, 10 designates an electric fitting embodying the invention, comprised of two parts, one of which is in the form of a combination plug and socket member 11 adapted to be etachably attached to the usual plug blades orterniinals of an electric iron, toaster, or the like electrical device, and the other part of which is in the form of a socket 12 adapted for detachable connection to the member 11 and to which be attached a duplex electric cable to form an electric cord.

The member 11 comprises a housing 14 made of two similar, symmetrically disposed mating parts .15 of insulating material and having meeting surfaces 16. Each of the 15 is formed with a recess at one end and on the inner side thereof so that when the parts are placed together, said recesses combine to form an enlarged chamber 1? at one end of said housing 14. Each part 15 of the insulating housing 1a is further formed with a transverse wall 19 at the bottom ofthe chamber 17, and with a pair of parallel, symmetrically disposed cavities forming a pair of parallel chambers 20 interconnected to the chamber 17 by T-shaped grooves 21 formed in the meeting surfaces of wall 19. Between said chambers 20, said parts 15 are provided with a central mating wall portion 23 extending from said wall 19 tothe bottom end walls 25 of said parts at lower ends of said chambers. Said bottom end walls 25 are formed with slots 26 in the bottom of the housing 14, communicating with the'chambers 20. As shown in 5 of the drawing, the crossing portions of said T-shaped slots 21 are disposed transversely of the meeting surfaces 16 of the insulating housing parts 15 for the purpose hereinafter appearing. The wall portions 23 of said parts 15 may be hollowed out, as at 27, to reduce the weight of the insulating housing. Said parts may be attached together by a single bolt 30 passing through the wall portions 23 of said parts and having a head 31 and nut 32 at the opposite ends thereof received in countersunk recesses in the outer surfaces of said housingparts.

For the purpose hereinafter appearing, there is mounted on the upper surface of the wall portions l9,a flat strip 33 of asbestos or the like heat resisting or insulating material formed with a pair of slots 33a registering with the portions of the slots 21 which are disposed in the plane of said meeting surfaces 16.

The member 11 is provided with a pair of similar, symmetrically disposed current carrying members 34, each preferably made of a single piece of properly bent and shaped metal. Each member 34 is composed of two similar portions symmetrical about the plane of the meeting surfaces 16, and is formed by bending a strip of metal about the middle thereof to form the upper end or tip 35 or" a plug blade portion 36. The

portion 36, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, is

disposed within the chambers 17a and comprises a pair of folded over contacting portions 37 formed with integral outwardly curved extensions 38, the lower edges whereof, contact the upper surface of the strip 33. The portions 3'7 are further formed on the inner sides terect with shoulders 39 contacting said strip 33. The intercontacting portions 37 of each member 34 further project through one of the slots 21 and are formed with oppositely disposed transverse extensions 39 received in the crossing portion of said slot. Extending from said portions 37 are downwardly extending outwardly and then inwardly curved portions, 40, said portions 40 being widened as at 41, at the upper end thereof, to permit the same to contact the under urface of the wall 19, and being outwardly flared, as at 42, at the bottom end thereof.

Extending from the opposite sides of each flaring portion 42 are a pair of upwardly extending parallel spring fingers 44. It will be noted that the fingers d4 extending from one flaring portion 42 press against or contact the pair of spring fingers 44 extending from the other flaring portion 42. In connecting the member 11 to an elecrical device, such as an electric iron having a pair ofparallel plug blades or terminals projecting therefrom, said blades will be received within the openings 26 in the bottom of housing 14 and between the opposite portions 40 and 44: of each member 34 to make an effective electrical contact.

The winged portions 39 of the current carrying members 34 serve to prevent relative rotation between the housing parts 15 whereby said parts may be attached togetherby only a single attachment member 30.

The member 10 likewise comprises an insulating housing forward of two mating parts 51 and 52 of any suitable insulating material. Said housing parts 51 and 52 are each formed in the lower portion thereof with a pair of parallel, longitudinal cavities registering to form a pair of parallel, spaced, chambers 54. The bottom walls of said housing parts 51 and 52 are formed with mating grooves in the meeting surfaces thereof, forming a pair of spaced openings 55 communicating with said chambers 54. Said housing parts 51 and 52 are further each formed with a pair of recesses 56 registering to form chambers spaced from the chambers 54 by mating transverse wall portions 57, and communicating therewith through slots 57a formed by registering pairs of grooves in said wall portions.

Said housing parts 51 and 52 are further formed with recesses or cavities 51d and 52a on the inner surfaces thereof, registering to form an enlarged chamber 58. It will be noted that the cavities 51a and 52a are not similarly shaped, the part 52 being formed with a groove 60 interconnecting one chamber 56 with said cavity 52a. The part 52 is further formed with an L-shaped wall 61 and a groove 62 between said L-shaped wall and a wall 63 likewise formed integrally with said part 52 and disposed parallel to the vertical portion of said L-shaped Wall. Adjacent the upper ends thereof, the parts 51 and 52 are formed with'pairs of substantially similar, registering recesses mating to form a pair of chambers 66, for the purpose hereinafter stated. Interconnecting the other chamber 56 in said part 52 with one of the chambers 66 is a groove 69, disposed between said wall 63 and a side wall 65 of said part 52. The other chamber 66 communicates with chambers 58 by a groove 70 formed in part 52.

The top ends of said parts 51 and 52 are formed withrecesses mating to form an opening or mouth 71 for the housing 50, and communicating with the chambers 66 by means or" passages '72 formed in the mating housing parts.

Disposed within each of the chambers 54a is a current carrying member 75 preferably made of a single piece of resilient metal bent at the middle thereof into two symmetrically disposed complementary portions. Each current carrying member .75 is formed of an over-folded piece 76 projecting within one of the chambers 56 and passing through passages 57a in the wall portions 57. Extending from said over-folded piece 76 of each member 75 are a pair of downwardly, outwardly and .inwardly disposed curved portions 7'7 disposed in one of said chambers 54 and flared outwardly as at 78, at the lower ends thereof; and extending from each of said flared portions are a pair of upwardly extending parallel fingers 79. The fingers '79 extending from one of the flared portions 78 are adapted to contact the spring fingers extending from the other flared portion. It will be noted that the bottom portion of the housing 50 is received within the chamber 17 of the member 11 and the bottom surface thereof is adapted to contact the upper edges of the outwardly curved wings 38 to space the same from the asbestos strip 39. The plug blade portions 36 of the current carrying members 34 furthermore are adapted to project through the openings 55 in the bottom of the member 12, and are received between the spring fingers 79 to make an electrical contact between current carrying members '75 and said members 34. The plug blade portions 36 further serve to center the housing 50 which is spaced on all four sides from the inner surfaces of the chamber 17, thus insuring a free circulation of air between the members 11 and 12 and serving as a heat insulator between said members.

Attached to the folded over portion 76 of one of said current carrying members 75, as for example, by an eyelet, is a conductor strip 80 extending through the groove 60 and into the groove 62. Said conductor strip 80 terminates adjacent the upper portion of the chamber 58 in a spring finger 81 disposed within the cavity 51a and parallel to the plane of the meeting surfaces of said housing parts. Attached to the other of said members 75, as for example by an eyelet, is a conductor strip 83 extending within said groove 69 and terminating in a terminal piece 84 disposed within one of the chambers 66. A screw 85 may be screwed to said terminal piece 84 for receiving a wire end of a conductor cable extending through the mouth '71 of the housing 50. Disposed within the other of said chambers 66 is a terminal piece 87 likewise provided with a terminal screw 88 for attachment to the wire end of a conductor cable. Extending from the terminal piece 8''! is a portion 89 passing through said groove 70 terminating in a spring finger 91 likewise disposed at the upper end of said chamber 58 and parallel to and aligned with the finger 81.

Received within the chambers 58 is a switch unit 100 for bridging the fingers 81 and 91 to complete the circuit through the fitting 10. The unit 100 comprises a circular disc 101 made of insulating material and having a central opening emme slidably receiving a screw 102 screwed to a boss 103 formed on said part 52 and projecting into the chamber 58. The disc. 101 is thus rotatably mounted on the screw 102. The parts 51 and 52 are formed with mating grooves or slots 106 to receive a portion of the disc 101 which projects through a side of the housing 50. Said disc 101 is provided with a finger or projection 107 to permit the disc to be rotated to'the positions shown in full and dotted lines in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

Said disc 101 may be formed with an intermediate annular groove 110 in one side thereof forming an outer annular flange 112' and a central apertured boss receiving said pin 102. A portion of the flange 112 is cut away as at 113, for the purpose hereinafter appearing. There is further provided a yoke 115 having a pair of substantially parallel arms 116 formed with aligned openings rotatably receiving the pin 102 and a portion of the boss 103, respectively. Interconnecting the arms 116 is a portion 117 disposed externally of the disc 101. Said yoke is thus rotatable about the axis of the disc. Pivoted to the side of the disc, as on a projection 120 and integral therewith and within the out out portion 113 is a memher 121 having a pin or rod 122 projecting therefrom. Said pin is adapted to slidably extend through an opening 123 in the portion 117 of the yoke. A coil compression spring 125 received over said pin 122 is interposed between the member 121 and said portion 117 of the yoke.

The portion 117 of the yoke is adapted, in the position shown in Fig. 1, which is the off position, to contact the bottom portion of the L- shaped wall 61, the yoke being retained in contacting position by the spring 125 which serves to urge the disc to rotate in a clockwise direction. As illustrated in full lines in Fig. 1 of the drawing, the disc is in the oil position with the finger 107 projecting downwardly. Should said finger 107, however, be moved upwardly for ro tating the disc in a counter-clockwise direction, the pivot point 120 would be brought past the arms 116, compressing the spring and causing the yoke 115 to be swung in a counterclockwise direction by the compressed spring to bring the outer portions of the arms 116 thereof between the spring fingers 81 and 91, said fingers being so spaced that the yoke will make a good electrical contact with said fingers. The current will then pass from the terminal 84 by means of the strip 83 to one of the current carrying members which contacts one of the current carrying members 34 of the lower member 11. The current will pass through the other current carrying member 34, through the members 75 in contact therewith, and through the strip and yoke 115 to the other terminal piece 87.

It will be noted that upon unscrewing the screw 102 and separating the housing parts 51 and 52, the entire switching unit 100 may be removed as a unit. Thus the switching unit may be assembled separately and incorporated as a unit with the housing parts. The housing parts may be attached together by means of transverse bolts 130 and 131 similar to the bolt 30.

It will now be readily understood that the com bination plug and socket member 11 may be readily. attached to the projecting parallel plug blades or terminals of any electrical device, and an electric duplex cable may be attached to the terminal screws and 88 of socket member 12. The members 11 and 12 may be then readily connected together, and the switch operated to turn the current on or off. The parts 11 and 12 may be readily disconnected should it be desired. Thus, in connecting an electric cord provided with my improved socket member 12 to an electrical device, such as an iron, said member 12 may be attached to the member 11 without necessitating a direct connection to the terminals of the iron.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is well adapted to meet conditions of practical use.

As various posiclc embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein contained, or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitin sense.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patents:-

1. An electrical fitting comprising a combinaion plug and socket member adapted to receive the terminal blades and an electrical device in the socket portion thereof, member being formed with chamber at one end and having plug blades within said chamber, and a socket member projecting into chamber adapted to receive the plug blades of said first member and having terminals for attachment to a duplex conductor cable, said chamber being larger than the portion or" the socket member which projects into said cha r w ereby portion is entirely spaced no 'he surfaces or" said chamber.

2. In combination, a member comprising an insulating housing having a chamber in one end thereof, a pair of cuj' nt carrying members within said housing and having plug blades projecting into said chamber, and a socket member projecting into said chamber and having openings for receiving said plug blades, and projections on said blades contacting the underside of said socket member to space said socket member from "riaces of said chamber.

3. A member comprising an insulating housing having a chamber in one end thereof, said chamher having a bottom surface, a pair of current carrying members disposed within said housing and having prong receiving portions, and terminal blades projecting through said surface and into said chamber, and a flat strip of heat resisting material within'said chamber and on said surface, said terminal blades having portions contacting the outer surface of said strip for retaining the same on said bottom wall.

4. A combination plug and socket member comprising an insulating housing made of two mating parts having meeting surfaces, said parts having registering recesses i the meeting surfaces thereof forming chambers, a pair of current carrying members within said chambers, each of said current carrying members having a plug blade portion, and a spring contact portion, said housing parts being provided with registering grooves transverse to the meetingsurfaces thereof, each of said current carrying portions being provided with flat, aligned projections extending into said grooves, and a single fastening device for attaching said parts.

5. A current carrying member made of a single elongated strip of metal folded about the middle thereof to form a pair of symmetrically disposed portions, said current carrying member being provided with folded over intercontacting portions forming a plug blade, and portions curved outwardly and then inwardly, extending from said intercontacting portions and terminating in outwardly flared portions, and pairs of spring fingers extending from the ends of said flaring portions and contacting one another and adapted to receive a plug blade therebetween.

6. An electric fitting of the character described comprising a combination plug and socket memher, said member comprising an insulating housing having an open end formed with a bottom surface, a pair of parallel, current carrying portions within said housing having prong receiving portions, and plug blade portions projecting through openings in said surface and extending into said chamber, said plug blades having outwardly extending wings disposed within said chamber, a socket member projecting into said chamber and having openings receiving said plug blades, said wings contacting the portion of said socket member which projects into said chamber for spacing the same from said surface.

'7. An electrical fitting comprising a combination plug and socket member adapted to receive the terminal blades of an electrical device in the socket portion thereof and being formed with an open end portion having a bottom surface, and plug blades extending into said open end portion, and a socket member having a portion projecting into said open end and receiving said plug blades, a strip of heat resisting material interposed between a surface of said socket member and said bottom surface, and means for spacing said socket member from said strip.

8. An electrical fitting comprising. a combination plug and socket member adapted to receive the terminal blades of an electrical device in the socket portion. thereof and being formed with an open end portion having a bottom surface, and plug blades extending into said open end portion, and a socket member having a portion projecting into open end and receiving said plug blades, and a strip of heat resisting material interposed between a surface of said socket member and j said bottom surface said plug blades havingv portions adapted to space the projecting portion of said socket member from said strip.

9. A member comprising an insulating housing made of two mating parts having meeting surfaces, said parts being formed with registering recesses in the meeting surfaces thereof forming a chamber at one end of said housing, the bottom wall of said chamber being formed with registering grooves transverse to said meeting surfaces,

'- and a pair of current carrying members having plug blade portions extending into said chamber and prong receiving portions, said plug blades being provided with extensions projecting into said grooves.

10. A member comprising an insulating housing made of two mating parts having meeting surfaces, said parts being formed with registering recesses in the meeting surfaces thereof forming a chamber at one end of said housing, the bottom wall of said housing being formed with registering grooves transverse to said meeting surfaces, and a pair of current carrying members having prong receiving portions, and plug blade portions extending into said chamber, said plug blades being provided with extensions projecting into said grooves, a strip of heat resisting material disposed within said chamber and on said bottom wall, said plug blades being formed with projections within said chamber, having edge portions contacting the outer surface of said strip for retaining the same on said bottom wall.

11. A member comprising an insulating housing made of two mating parts having meeting surfaces, said parts being formed with registering recesses in the meeting surfaces thereof forming. a chamber at one end of said housing, and a pair of current carrying members having prong receiving portions, and plug blade portions extendinginto said chamber, a strip of heat resisting material disposed within said chamber and on said bottom wall, said plug blades being formed with projections within said chamber and having edge portions contacting the outer surface of said strip for retaining, the same on said bottom wall, and a socket member having a portion projecting into said chamber and formed with openings receiving said plug blades, and an end wall contacting said projections for spacing said end wall from said strip.

12. A member comprising an insulating housing made of two mating parts having meeting surfaces, said parts being formed with registering recesses in the meeting surfaces thereof forming a chamber at one end of said housing, the bottom wall of said housing being formed with registering. grooves transverse to said meeting surfaces, and a pair of current carrying members having prong receiving portions, and plug blade portions extending into said chamber, said plug blades being provided with extensions projecting into said grooves, a strip of heat resisting material disposed within said chamber and on said bottom wal said plug blades being formed with projections within said chamber and having edge portions contacting the outer surface of said strip for retaining the same on said bottom wall, and

a socket member having a portion projecting into said chamber and formed with openings receiving said plug blades, and an end wall contacting said projections for spacing said end wall from said strip.

13. An electrical fitting comprising a com ination plug and socket member adapted to receive terminal blades of an electrical device in the socket portion thereof, a socket member adapted to receive the plug portion of the first member and having terminals for attachment to a duplex conductor cable, one of said members being formed with a chamber, and the other of said members having a portion projecting into said chamber, and means for spacing the portion projecting into said chamber from all of the surfaces of said chamber.

14. In an electrical fitting, a combination plug and socket menber comprising a housing, and current carrying members within said housing having prong receiving portions, and terminal blades projecting therefrom, and a socket member comprising a housing having current carrying portions for receiving the plug blades of said plug and socket member, and "terminals within said last mentioned housing for attachment to a duplex electric cable, and means for spacing all of the surfaces of one housing from all of the surfaces of the other of said housings when said plug and socket member is attached to said socket member.

ALBERT E. GRANT. ABRAHAM L. BUSCHMAN. 

